California approves Delta Tunnel project despite strong opposition from environmentalists

Despite years of strong opposition from environmental groups and local leaders, the California Department of Water Resources approved the controversial Delta Conveyance Project — also known as the Delta Tunnel — on Thursday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and his administration have long advocated for the 45-mile-long tunnel to be built beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The tunnel would pipe water from the Sacramento River, bypassing the Delta, and redirect it into the Bethany Reservoir on the California Aqueduct. That water would then be delivered to Southern California.

A 2020 estimate placed the cost for the tunnel at $16 billion, but Stockton-based Restore the Delta said a more realistic estimate is between $50 to $60 billion when all is said and done. Construction could take 12 to 13 years to complete.

“Today marks another significant milestone in our efforts to modernize state water infrastructure and adapt to the challenges of changing precipitation patterns,” said Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources. “The State Water Project is one of the most affordable sources of water in California, and we need to help local water agencies in protecting both reliability and affordability for their ratepayers.”

With the state expected to lose 10% of its water supply by 2040 due to hotter and drier conditions, Newsom and water officials have called the project a key part of California's Water Resilience Portfolio and the state's water supply strategy. They say the tunnel would protect against water supply disruption from earthquakes in the Bay Area and Delta and capture more water during heavy rain storms.

They have also claimed that during January’s atmospheric rivers, the project could have captured enough water for 2.3 million people — nearly 800,000 households — to use for one year.

“Climate change is threatening our access to clean drinking water, diminishing future supplies for millions of Californians," Newsom said. "Doing nothing is not an option. After the three driest years on record, we didn’t have the infrastructure to fully take advantage of an exceptionally wet year, which will become more and more critical as our weather whiplashes between extremes."

The Department of Water Resources released its final environmental impact report for the project on Dec. 8, which showed that the tunnel would harm the region's farmland, endangered fish populations and tribal cultural resources, which include burial grounds.

"This updated plan is still exactly what we thought, a disastrous water grab to steal our Valley water," Congressman Josh Harder (D-Tracy) said the day the report was released. "Sacramento is hellbent on spending $16 billion of our taxpayer dollars to ship our water down south so Beverly Hills can have green lawns. It's a complete disgrace. Our community is universally opposed to this project and we will not stop fighting this tooth and nail."

The public was given just 10 days to review and comment on the 27,300-page document, much to the dismay of Delta advocates and politicians, who argued that the water agency did not provide enough time for the material to be fully absorbed.

“Jamming the Delta Tunnel FEIR through the final stages of CEQA without any public comment is just another example of the Newsom Administration’s lack of transparency," said Erin Woolley, senior policy strategist for Sierra Club California. "Newsom and DWR are prioritizing harmful water policies that will sacrifice the Bay-Delta to maintain the deeply inequitable status quo of water in California.”

With Thursday's approval, the Department of Water Resources will now pursue numerous state and federal permits or authorizations, including those required by the State Water Resources Control Board, the Delta Stewardship Council, and compliance with state and federal Endangered Species acts. Additionally, a new cost estimate and a benefit-cost analysis is expected in mid-2024.

But, Delta Tunnel opponents say the fight to put an end to the multi-billion dollar project is far from over.

"We and our broad coalition of partners will engage in all necessary processes, and when necessary, litigation, to stop the Delta Conveyance Project once and for all," said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director for Restore the Delta.

The public has 30 days to file litigation against the proposed Delta Conveyance Project and environmental impact report under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: California water board approves controversial Delta Tunnel project